Simple Purposeful Living Podcast

We all want an easier December, right? But what if the secret to a less stressful Christmas starts before Thanksgiving?  In this episode, I’m sharing two tiny tasks you can tackle now to give yourself a longer runway into the holiday season. The goal isn’t to overhaul your Christmas or add more to your plate; it’s to create a little more breathing room, make intentional decisions, and give yo...

Ever feel like you have to finish everything on your to-do list before you can finally sit down and rest? Same, friend.  After a jam-packed September left me running on empty, I realized I had gotten so out of the habit of resting that even sitting down to watch a TV show felt uncomfortable. That’s why today we’re talking about why rest can feel so hard, especially for busy moms who are used...

What are my five saving graces lately? From a cozy new show and a snack I can’t stop eating to simple systems that keep our homes running, I’m sharing five little things that have been making a big difference in my everyday life.  I’ll share why having systems that work even when Mom isn’t available can be such a game changer, how making room for quiet and margin helps us process the constant...

Are you tired of making big promises to yourself, only to feel like you’re falling short when life gets busy?  In this episode, I sit down with my friend, author, entrepreneur, and business coach Alli Worthington to talk about building self-trust, celebrating small wins, and finding the right kind of accountability and community to help you grow. Alli shares why being capable doesn’t always m...

When life gets busy and your family is pulled in a million different directions, it’s easy to feel like you’re not getting enough quality time together. But what if you don’t actually need more family time, you just need to notice the connection that’s already happening?  Today I’ll share three simple ways to stay connected in a busy season. From pancake Saturdays and car rides to quick erran...

What happens when the life you thought you were going to live takes a completely unexpected turn? That’s exactly what happened to my longtime friend Beth with her family’s incredible journey from foster care to adoption, raising six kids, and learning to trust God in the middle of it all.  We’ll talk about the world of youth sports, the pressure, the politics, the identity kids can attach to...

Fall is finally here, and I am ready for cozy! But before you run out and buy a bunch of new fall decor, I want to remind you that you probably already have everything you need to make your home feel warmer, softer, and more like a respite. That’s why ’m sharing my simple four-step approach to creating a cozier home: clear, freshen, cozy, and simplify. We’ll talk about why subtracting visual clutt...

What if getting better with money didn’t require a massive overhaul, but a few small, intentional habits?  Today I’m chatting with Crystal Paine of MoneySavingMom.com about simple ways to become more intentional with your money, from creating rhythms around budgeting to finding contentment with what you already have.  We talk about the power of knowing your “why,” making small changes th...

You asked, and I’m answering!  We’re bringing back a fan favorite: Ask Me Anything, Fall Edition 2026… we’re talking about everything from my Burger of the Week strategy and how to make family dinners feel less boring, to overcoming mom guilt when it comes to making time for friends.  I’m also sharing my simple approach to planning home projects, what my fitness routine actually looks li...

Some nights, getting dinner on the table feels like a full-blown event. You’re tired, everyone has an opinion, there are practices and activities and places to be, and somehow you’re also supposed to figure out what everyone is going to eat. But dinner doesn’t have to be fancy to feed your family! In this episode, I’m sharing seven tiny tweaks to make dinner time easier, including some of my favor...

Does your brain feel like it has 245 tabs open as we head back to school? Between school schedules, lunches, homework, practices, appointments, emails, and all the tiny details that keep our families running, it can feel like there’s no room left in our brains for anything else. But what if the goal isn’t to get better at carrying it all, but rather to put some of it down? Today, I’m breaking down...

If the after-school hours in your house have been feeling a little chaotic, you’re not alone. After a long day of school, kids are tired, moms are juggling a million things, and somehow everyone is expected to seamlessly transition into homework, dinner, activities, and everything else.  That’s why today we’re talking about how a simple after-school routine can make that transition smoother,...

What if your home could feel peaceful and cozy without becoming a minimalist showroom?  In this episode, I’m chatting with home expert Myquillyn Smith, aka The Nester, about her new book, House Hushing, and the simple ways we can turn down the visual noise in our homes without getting rid of everything we love. We talk about why our homes can feel stressful even when they’re beautifully decor...

Back-to-school season is packed with emotions like joy, nerves, excitement, and a whole lot of worry about what’s to come. That’s why in this episode I’m sharing eight tiny tweaks that have helped my kids (and me!) face new seasons with courage. From creating side-by-side conversations and normalizing anxiety, to adding comfort anchors, practicing new situations, and celebrating milestones, these...

Friendship is something so many of us long for, yet it can feel harder than ever to build as adults. Between busy schedules, social media, past hurts, and the fear of putting ourselves out there, it’s easy to believe that deep, meaningful friendships just aren’t possible anymore.  Today, I’m joined by my longtime friend and mentor, Crystal Paine, for an honest conversation about why friendshi...

Summer has a funny way of making us feel like we should be doing more. More adventures, more Pinterest-worthy meals, more memory-making, more productivity—and if we’re not careful, we can end up comparing our real lives to everyone else’s highlight reels.  In this episode, I’m sharing something a little more personal: the 25 ways I’ve intentionally lowered the bar this summer so I can stop ch...

Have you ever taken the Enneagram quiz… and immediately wondered if you actually got your type right? You’re not alone! This week, I’m chatting with Enneagram coach Amy Wicks (The Wholehearted Enneagram) about why the Enneagram is so much more than a personality test, it’s a tool for understanding the why behind your thoughts, habits, fears, and relationships.  We talk about why so many women...

Have you ever felt like you’re carrying the invisible weight of your family while quietly wondering, “When is it going to be my turn”? You’re not alone. In this heartfelt conversation, I sit down with psychologist, author, and mom Dr. Morgan Cutlip to unpack the mental load so many women carry every single day.  We talk about why moms so easily lose themselves in the demands of family life, how gu...

Summer rarely goes exactly as planned….and that’s okay. In this episode, I’m sharing an honest halfway-through-the-summer update on what’s actually working in our home, what hasn’t gone according to plan, and the tiny tweaks that are helping us navigate a season full of unexpected schedule changes, backyard construction, growing kids, and shifting expectations. From realizing I don’t have to be pa...

Summer is supposed to feel restful, yet so many of us reach the end of the season feeling more exhausted than when it began.  Today I’m sharing what I’ve been learning about rest after working through burnout, inflammation, and the realization that I had unknowingly tied my sense of purpose to productivity. Through conversations with my counselor, doctor, and business coach, I’ve discovered that r...

This week I’m joined by a VERY special guest, my husband, Scott as we celebrate 20 years of marriage and reflect on the lessons we’ve learned through two decades of life together.  From raising four kids and navigating financial struggles to walking through adoption, heartbreak, personal growth, and everything in between, we share an honest conversation about what has strengthened our marriage ove...

Summer may be full of sunshine and slower schedules, but if you’re the one responsible for feeding everyone all day long, it can also feel like an endless cycle of meals, snacks, and dishes. In this episode, I’m sharing the simple systems that help me keep food manageable during the summer months, from our family’s “burger of the week” tradition and cook-once-eat-twice meal strategy to kid-led lun...

If you’ve ever spent weeks planning for summer only to feel overwhelmed once it actually arrives, this episode is for you.  After talking through summer mindset shifts and planning strategies the last few weeks, I’m pulling back the curtain and sharing exactly what summer looks like in our home this year. From how I’m structuring my work schedule and teaching more independence through age-appropri...

If you’re already feeling the pressure of summer before it’s even started, this episode is going to feel like a deep breath.  I sat down with planning expert Megan Sumrell to talk about how to create a summer that feels intentional instead of chaotic. We talked about the mindset shifts that helped her stop feeling like she was constantly torn between work, motherhood, and everything else demanding...

Summer used to feel overwhelming before it even started,  not because I didn’t love the season, but because I felt the pressure to make it magical while still managing everyday life.  That’s why today I’m sharing the tiny mindset shifts and practical planning tweaks that are helping me approach summer with more intention, less pressure, and way more joy. We’re talking about how to stop fighting th...